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 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)Rated: Rated PG for frightening moments, creature violence and mild language. Runtime: 142 mins. Director: Alfonso Cuarón Writer: J.K. Rowling (novel); Steven Kloves (screenplay Cast: Daniel Radcliffe; Gary Oldman; Rupert Grint; Emma Watson ....complete cast Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagline: Something Wicked This Way Comes. Memorable Quote: "Is that really what my hair looks like from the back? "
By Jeremiah Lewis (Guest Critic)
Cuarón put his "fresh vision" into the film by giving us gliding cameras in and through window plate glass and clock gears. I guess he never saw Panic Room. The critics proclaim this the darkest of the three movies thus far, but I didn't quite get that vibe. His placement of Harry, Hermione, and Ron in an Y Tu Mama, Tambien pose during one scene made me wonder if perhaps Cuarón was going to turn the Harry Potter world upside down, but nothing ever came of it. So much for improving the story. That's not to say that Harry Potter is blasé or bad. Indeed, the overarching story is engaging and ambitious, exercising emotional archetypes in favor of search of self. HP is, at heart, a questioning and exploration of the survival of the individual in a world gone strangely dark and twisted. Though Harry is young, he is also strong; though humble and sometimes timid, he proves he can also carry himself (with a little help from his friends). However, he also has a good heart. He is the epicenter of the shift from child to adult, and his adventures are more than just wizardry and cleverness - indeed, they are rites of passage. POA, however, seems to lack any defining moments of change; there are no "growing up" moments for Harry here, just dwelling on his parents' death and breaking as many Hogwarts rules as possible. The Prisoner of Azkaban continues with the growth of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasely (Rupert Grint) into their third year at Hogwarts. Before beginning the semester, Harry is warned that a mass murderer, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped Azkaban prison and is on the loose and searching for Harry, hence the movie's Shakespearean tagline, "Something wicked this way comes." To aid in Black's recapture, Azkaban has deployed the Dementors, black creatures that prey upon the souls of those who stand in their way. When they turn their attention upon Harry, he finds help and solace in Professor Lupin, who teaches him a new spell to ward off the Dementors. While this would certainly be enough material for one movie alone, the story grows in scope, with a subplot involving a Hippogriff (half horse, half eagle), the study of werewolves, and time travel melding into the anti-climactic encounter between Harry and Sirius Black. Despite the mileage Cuarón and cast trek through, it feels underdeveloped, rushed. Fans of the books will find that many aspects have changed in the adaptation, and I'm not sure it's for the best, though perhaps the source material is the problem in the first place. Whoever's to blame, POA feels like a dartboard with darts hitting all the mid-range numbers, but never the bull's-eye. POA sports some impressive special effects; the Hippogriff is a stunning achievement, even for jaded, CG-saturated moviegoers. John Williams' score is low-key and appropriately moody, though the sound effects work leaves some desiring. The production design is as impressive as it is complete (try to note the lettering carved into the wood paneling of Professor Trelawney's classroom). Most noticeable though is the subtext, which actually works better than the actual film. Cuarón uses such images as the giant clock and the moon as both metaphors and foreshadowers, giving POA a wealth of underlying cinematic capital not quite seen in the previous two films. Though small children may be frightened at some of the dark material, it is done with enough restraint that it should still appeal to most families. If only the filmmakers had delivered on the tagline, POA might have been fun for geeks like me. Sadly, the end result is less Macbeth and more middle school primer material. Something average this way comes! Jeremiah Lewis See what other Frank's Reel Reviews critics have to say about Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. Read Richard Dennis' review.  Don't agree with this review? Read or post comments about this film or review on the Screen formats: Widescreen 16:9
Number of discs: 2 disc set Packaging: Double-Disc Amaray Case
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